Eco Justice Collaborative News Bulletin

This is a monthly bulletin from the Eco-Justice Collaborative of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to provide Friends with time-sensitive information and resources to help in their work for climate, economic and social justice. Please share as you think appropriate.

UPCOMING ACTIONS:

March for a Clean Energy Revolution. On Sunday, July 24th, Food & Water Watch, Sierra Club and many local and national allies are organizing thousands for a peaceful march in Philadelphia to call on elected officials to ban fracking, keep fossil fuels in the ground and make a swift transition to renewable energy. There is a large faith contingent supporting this march, and Eco Justice Collaborative has endorsed the march. To view the Faith Contingent’s Call to Communities of Faith and Spirit, go to http://bit.ly/dncfaith. Join in the planning, and endorse the march at (http://www.cleanenergymarch.org/). You can also contact your PA or NJ Food & Water Watch organizer: Sam Rubin (srubin@fwwatch.org) or Lena Smith (mrsmith@fwwatch.org).

OPPORTUNITIES:

There is a conference at Pendle Hill from Thursday, June 16th, to Sunday, June 19th, entitled Powerful Faith-Based Organizing for Climate Justice. Scholarships available. There are three workshops:

Lobbying and Moral Advocacy (lobbying reframed as a moral issue and action at the local government level) with Paula Kline (Eco Justice Collaborative)

Go to www.pendlehill.org and click on Featured Events in the lower right corner for more information and to register.

New Interfaith Sustained Climate Advocacy! Friends are urged to sign up for regular interfaith climate briefings. Each month, you can call in for a 1-hour briefing on the key issues in Pennsylvania. Together we identify the most effective action step at that time and make it fast and easy to act on behalf of protecting climate stability. To register contact: INFO@PAIPL.ORG or call 814-876-2597

June 21 7:00pm Friends Center, Philadelphia. Clean Air Council and Eco-Justice Collaborative event to stop a the hazardous waste burner http://cleanair.org/stopelcon

Bucks County was the only county in Pennsylvania to have two dangerous “Red Ozone Days” in 2013. In 2014, it was second only to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in “orange” air quality days where children, the elderly and asthmatics are at risk of respiratory damage. In spite of this, the PA DEP is considering allowing Elcon Recycling Services to construct a hazardous waste treatment facility in Morrisville, next to the Wheelabrator Falls Waste Incinerator. Just last May, PADEP found that the incinerator violated its agreement to continuously monitor emissions.

Has you Meeting met to discuss participating in the shift to a just, 100% renewable electricity future? If you have switched, let us know! Take a picture of your Meeting with the “Powered by Renewable Electricity” sign and send it to be posted on the PYM website. If you have not shifted yet, open the attachment and bring it up soon. We want to make an announcement and celebrate you at Annual Sessions.

We urge PYM Friends, especially those in the greater Philadelphia area to stay informed and active in three climate related campaigns.

1 – The Power Local Green Jobs Campaign uses nonviolent, direct action to challenge PECO, a utility company, to take responsibility for creating jobs and benefiting poor communities by making a major shift to locally generated solar power for electricity. The campaign has been joined by POWER, a broad multi-faith network of 60 congregations.

The campaign is calling on PECO to support the local economy by purchasing solar energy from Philadelphia rooftops, which will create jobs for local workers; lower electricity bills for families, schools, and churches; and make a more resilient electrical grid. This campaign proposes solutions to three critical issues: underemployment, crumbling infrastructure, and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

This Earth Quaker Action Team campaign has expanded to the entire PECO area, to promote green jobs and solar installations. Learn how to help: http://www.eqat.org/

2 – 350Philly is focusing on preventing a natural gas plant for SEPTA/

3 – A number of Philadelphia area Friends are active in Green Justice Philly, which seeks to oppose the approval of a proposal to create an energy hub/port in Southport. They are mobilizing around no new fossil fuel infrastructure.

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About Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is a Quaker faith community, an association of 103 Quaker meetings, and an organization - all working together to nurture Quaker faith and practice in today’s world.

Quakerism is a faith of personal experience and direct communion with God, a faith of continuing revelation; and a faith of living our values in the secular world. All who seek to deepen their spiritual lives are welcome!